CDC treats first monkeypox patient with SIGA's smallpox antiviral via expanded access
The CDC said Friday that one monkeypox patient in the US so far has been treated with SIGA Technologies’ tecovirimat, known commercially as TPOXX, which is an antiviral agent from the strategic national stockpile with anti-orthopoxvirus activity.
The antiviral is only currently licensed to treat smallpox, so the FDA and company made it available to CDC under an expanded access IND.
CDC also said it released smallpox vaccines — Emergent’s ACAM2000 and Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos — to those at high-risk of exposure to monkeypox, either through contact with someone who has it, or certain intermediate risk exposures, such as being within ≤6 feet of an unmasked patient for ≥3 hours without wearing, at a minimum, a surgical mask.
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